Falcons coach insists AWC draw not easy

Nigeria women’s coach, Edwin Okon, has maintained that the 2014 African Women’s Championship (AWC) draw that pits his team against hosts Namibia and Zambia will not be as easy as it looks.

According to the draws which took place in Windhoek on Saturday, Nigeria were drawn in Group A with Namibia, Zambia and Cote d’ Ivoire, while Group B has South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana and Algeria.

Okon said the group on paper looks easy for the Falcons, but was also quick to warn that the Ivorians, who eliminated 2012 champions Equatorial Guinea and Namibia should not be treated lightly.

“All the eight teams that qualified for the competition are good and determined to win the AWC title and that is why we won’t underrate any team. There are no push overs in women’s football any longer in Africa,” Okon said.

“With Cote d’Ivoire sending defending champions Equatorial Guinea out and a Namibian side that will be well motivated by the home fans in our group, it will be foolhardy for the Super Falcons to be complacent.

“They might look at Group B and say that it is the group of death, but the reality is that Group A that has the hosts and a team that beat the cup holders cannot be written off. It is not going to be easy but we won’t disappoint Nigerians.”

He assured that the Falcons would do everything possible to qualify from the group and try to win back the trophy they lost in 2012 to Equatorial Guinea.

Okon also revealed that he has requested for three international warm-ups for the Falcons ahead of the competition and plans for them to open training camp in August.

The 2014 AWC will be staged from October 11 to 25 in Namibia.

The winners,runners-up and third-place winners will represent Africa at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada next year.